Catching up with VIA news

VIA Metropolitan Transit news that affects downtown has been gushing out of its public information office for weeks now. Here’s a recap:

Blue Streetcar

On Monday, changes to VIA’s streetcar routes took affect.

The Blue Route changed. From a VIA release: “The Blue Route will be converted into a two-way continuous loop with service primarily on Alamo Street, Avenue E, 4th Street, Camden Street and Flores Street. All current service coverage will remain except portions of the eliminated turn-around loops on Augusta, South Main, and Sheridan, Guadalupe, and Navarro.”

Basically, streetcars will drive the route clockwise and counter-clockwise. Plus, “they essentially, kept the routing that it was before down Fourth Street, and they added a segment that comes up Flores Street,” says Andy Scheidt, VIA’s public information coordinator.

Also, the Purple Route has been discontinued.

Electric Buses

A couple of weeks ago, VIA announced that it received $5 million in federal grant money to replace four diesel buses with electric buses that will operate solely downtown.

Talking with Scheidt just a few minutes ago, he said the four electric buses could begin operating as soon as the summer of 2010. VIA has yet to determine which routes will be converted.

Buses would recharge at VIA’s Robert Thompson Transit Station at the Alamodome.

Wi-Fi

This month and the beginning of December, VIA is offering free Internet access on several of its buses to see how the public responds.

“After that we’re going to evaluate to see if it was a success and whether its feasible to expand it,” Scheidt said.